NCSOFT® and Carbine
Studios™ today announced that their upcoming action-adventure sci-fi MMO,
WildStar® has entered Open Beta and will be available to fans 24/7 for the next
10 days. With the influx of new players a brand new European datacentre has been
switched on to allow for a smoother game experience. NCSOFT and Carbine Studios
welcome all players to explore WildStar, whether they are already familiar with
the legendary planet Nexus or not, prior to the worldwide launch on Tuesday, 3rd
June.

The announcement of Open Beta is also accompanied with a new trailer from
Carbine Studios highlighting the background story of the game. The level cap has
also been raised to 30 and the first localised German and French versions are
available for testing. European players with existing characters will seamlessly
be able to continue their adventures on the European servers.

Those new to WildStar can visit
www.wildstar-online.com/en/openbeta for instructions and access, and players
that have already participated in any previous WildStar beta event can log on
with their current accounts.

To kick off the Open Beta, Carbine Studios is hosting a 30 minute Livestream on
its Twitch Channel today at 20:00 CEST (www.twitch.tv/wildstar) where the
developers will give a state of the game update and share their thoughts on
exactly why WildStar is going to kick ass and disrupt the MMO category. The team
will be back on Friday, 9th with a six-hour developer Livestream featuring a
slew of content starting at 20:00 CEST, including play-by-play of some exciting
raids and Warplots activity, a sneak peek into higher level Open Beta content
and turn the it into a massive social ‘Ask Me Anything’, opening up every social
platform to take questions – Facebook, Reddit, Tumblr, Twitter, Forums, Twitch,
Vine and maybe even MySpace to name a few.

ColoradoHoudini wrote on May 8, 2014, 13:04:Nobody in the community is calling it a WoW killer.. nobody who is worth listening to is that dumb. It will be a better raiding game for hardcore players who want a challenge, that I will say for sure. In fact, Blizzard already came out and tried to mention how their raids are more accessible, for everyone.. etc. I saw a link the other day.. can't cite at the moment.

Game will sell well..I suppose. I don't know enough there.

I suppose, like most MMOs/big games, there will be issues at launch. I have seen the devs quickly address game-breaking issues in beta though.

The only people I see turning against the game are those that can't get into a raiding guild and do raid content. However, those people won't be level 50 in a month anyhow. Then.. when they hit level 50, if they complain, these are the EXACT people that I've seen in every other MMO who come back with this total absolute horse shit:- I shouldnt have to play with others to see all content (forgetting how MMOs work)- Guilds all have issues (right, it's EVERY guild and not you? it's you)- i hate playing with others ..you should change the game to what I want. (go play a SPRPG)- why do they have to make the content so hard (you knew that going into the game)Every reason the complainers have will be garbage, selfish, narrow-minded useless complaints. absolutely rebutted by the community.. and the devs alike.

In fact, someone tweeted the lead dev about lowering the difficulty in the dungeons.. to which his one word reply was "no". This dev house is aiming for a certain harder core demographic at end game. Is it enough to sustain the game for years? Nobody knows yet.. but they're gonna try.

Colorado, Let me let you in on a little secret and the rest of those so called Hard Core Raiders. Sure, the game will do well in its first 3 or 4 months. But in the end it will lend up just like WOW. There will be so many complaints about how hard the Boss fights are and the Raids requiring 40 people that in the end, the developers will have no choice but to change this and bring the game to the entire audience. This is what happened to WOW and why WOW made the changes they did.

You cannot cater an MMO to just the Hard core Raiders, because you are cutting your own throat in the end. Most will end up leaving the game and all that will be left is the Hard Core gamers. And that will not be enough to save this game from its own short sightedness. If they don’t have enough people subscribing then they are dead in the water. And so will your 40 man raids.

Blizzard saw this coming and what was happening to the game that is why they changed the game into what it is today. MMOs whether you think so or not are not made for just the Hard Core games. You need to make a game where all can play and enjoy it. If they don’t, good luck trying to keep this game a float.

Prerelease - Massive hype. "This is the WoW killer!" Release - Game sells (downloads?) VERY WELL. 1 million plus. Immediately after release - Game has launch problems and bugs. Game has downtime.After first month - Internet turns against game. Vast majority quit playing after first month.Rest of game's life - Games floats on cruise control.

Most likely, but one thing we have under-estimated from some of the big names that didn't hit it huge, was that cruise control can still be very profitable and over a long period of time. Where we make fun of some still today, they are still making bank each month, not as big as hoped but it will easily pay off as a long term win.

Ugh, I keep going back and forth about this game because I keep hearing different things about PvP. Now the word is it has actual, honest to god, open world PvP, and so I want to try it.

However, having fully switched over to Ubuntu a while back, I can't get it to run, haha. Any WINE experts out there got it working? I've tried PlayOnLinux and CrossOver, and all I get is a blank white splash screen with an "accept" and "decline" button regarding the EULA, but nothing happens when I press either, heh.

I've been playing MMOs (almost all of them) since UO. Here's what I've learned: It's not the cry babies on the forums that you have to worry about. It's the silent, married, full-time job having casual player that's going to kill the game.

Why? I fall into the above category (this post excluded). I raided hardcore Molten Core, BWL, AQ and Naxx. Eventually, I got a career, got married, and now I just do not have the time to do what I once did.

So, If I did make it to end game, I would rapidly run out of stuff to do. I guess this is why I still play GW2 so much, because it really caters to my playstyle.

Nobody in the community is calling it a WoW killer.. nobody who is worth listening to is that dumb. It will be a better raiding game for hardcore players who want a challenge, that I will say for sure. In fact, Blizzard already came out and tried to mention how their raids are more accessible, for everyone.. etc. I saw a link the other day.. can't cite at the moment.

Game will sell well..I suppose. I don't know enough there.

I suppose, like most MMOs/big games, there will be issues at launch. I have seen the devs quickly address game-breaking issues in beta though.

The only people I see turning against the game are those that can't get into a raiding guild and do raid content. However, those people won't be level 50 in a month anyhow. Then.. when they hit level 50, if they complain, these are the EXACT people that I've seen in every other MMO who come back with this total absolute horse shit:- I shouldnt have to play with others to see all content (forgetting how MMOs work)- Guilds all have issues (right, it's EVERY guild and not you? it's you)- i hate playing with others ..you should change the game to what I want. (go play a SPRPG)- why do they have to make the content so hard (you knew that going into the game)Every reason the complainers have will be garbage, selfish, narrow-minded useless complaints. absolutely rebutted by the community.. and the devs alike.

In fact, someone tweeted the lead dev about lowering the difficulty in the dungeons.. to which his one word reply was "no". This dev house is aiming for a certain harder core demographic at end game. Is it enough to sustain the game for years? Nobody knows yet.. but they're gonna try.

ColoradoHoudini wrote on May 8, 2014, 12:24:Disagree with the negative posts wholeheartedly. I feel that Wildstar has captured every bit of magic I was looking for in a new MMO.

Wildstar is a very, very good game. It feels familiar to WoW because some of the WS devs are former WoW employees. The game looks familiar because it's a good look for the content, it will age well (unlike hyper realistic MMOs). The look fits the universe and type of game it is.

The classes are fun to play (I am not a melee/close combat guy, but I love the Stalker..and I very much enjoy the other classes I play as well. I am torn between a Spellslinger and an Esper right now. During this open beta, I plan on giving my Medic a good run as well. The telegraph system is a good change of pace and allows more dynamic movement..and it makes people stay on their toes. The dungeons are HARD. This is no walk in the park for free gear like the current WoW model is running with. You need to be good and on top of your game to complete content. However, if you're not a dungeon guy..there are Adventures, which are really "dungeon-lite". Give gear, rewards, bonuses.. see neat content and feel like you're part of something. Also, there are Shiphands.. where you can go into your own 1-man "instance" and complete content.. and yes, get good rewards from it.

PvP is great too (and I'm not a PvP guy). No one class feels overpowered that I've played (all but Engineer to level 12)..everyone feels like they contribute. If you haven’t seen the Warplot videos, do yourself a favor and absolutely watch them!! I love the idea of pre-fabricating my base with my other Warparty members.. I get to outfit my base as we see fit for PvP.. awesome! Then the idea that you can capture raid bosses and bring them into your Warplot to attack or defend..haha, awesome!! The bonus is that your boss can fight the enemies boss. I don't care who you are, if you're old school.. and remember WoW bosses.. imagine bringing Nefarian in to fight C'Thun ... dude.. that would be amazingly epic to see.

The game "feels" right. In SWTOR, my character felt "light".. disconnected from the environments he walked on, no "oompf".. but in WS, it just felt right from the first time I logged in. The paths are fun to choose from (I've done 3 of the 4). As a Settler, I was getting requests in chat for my buff stations..to which I replied "I need help in this area collecting items for the buffs".. and people came over to clear out the mobs. You might as "why did you need help?" The reason, even the mobs can be tough. If you use the old WoW model.. there are regular mobs, weaker mobs you could AoE, then tougher mobs, then elite-type mobs.. all mixed in. Identifiable though.. and the harder mobs give better rewards.. but the content isn't mind-numbingly boring, it can be challenging. Being a Scientist was cool.. scanning and learning about the mobs and environments. Being a Soldier required some help in the later areas.. as you spawn waves of mobs that come to attack something you have to defend. I always had people coming to help with the Soldier stuff, never felt alone, and always rewarded. My coworker loves being an Explorer.. but he's the type of guy to check every nook and cranny of a map. His Exploring unlocks more areas for the rest of us to find.. good teamwork there.

If you're into raiding, that stuff looks amazing. I've watched a bunch of vids and talked to beta-testing raiders, and they like how it's tough. You get that sense of accomplishment again. I don't see an issue with getting 40 people for a raid.. in fact, there are a lot of guilds recruiting for raiding. We raided a decade ago in WoW, without the tools we have today (social media/resources) and without really knowing the requirements (time/effort).. I don't see that being an issue in Wildstar. Everyone who wants to raid in WS knows what to expect.

The community is great.. the devs are amazing.. best devs I've seen in any game- regardless of genre.

If anyone has any questions.. I'll do my best to answer. I know I sound like a fanboy, but I am reasonable..I know a great game when I play one.

edit-If you're not into raiding, there is still plenty of stuff to do for everyone. So while this game aims at the top end for raiding, they hit all the marks elsewhere as well.

Here's a glimpse of the future:

Prerelease - Massive hype. "This is the WoW killer!" Release - Game sells (downloads?) VERY WELL. 1 million plus. Immediately after release - Game has launch problems and bugs. Game has downtime.After first month - Internet turns against game. Vast majority quit playing after first month.Rest of game's life - Games floats on cruise control.

ColoradoHoudini wrote on May 8, 2014, 12:24:Disagree with the negative posts wholeheartedly. I feel that Wildstar has captured every bit of magic I was looking for in a new MMO.

Wildstar is a very, very good game. It feels familiar to WoW because some of the WS devs are former WoW employees. The game looks familiar because it's a good look for the content, it will age well (unlike hyper realistic MMOs). The look fits the universe and type of game it is.

The classes are fun to play (I am not a melee/close combat guy, but I love the Stalker..and I very much enjoy the other classes I play as well. I am torn between a Spellslinger and an Esper right now. During this open beta, I plan on giving my Medic a good run as well. The telegraph system is a good change of pace and allows more dynamic movement..and it makes people stay on their toes. The dungeons are HARD. This is no walk in the park for free gear like the current WoW model is running with. You need to be good and on top of your game to complete content. However, if you're not a dungeon guy..there are Adventures, which are really "dungeon-lite". Give gear, rewards, bonuses.. see neat content and feel like you're part of something. Also, there are Shiphands.. where you can go into your own 1-man "instance" and complete content.. and yes, get good rewards from it.

PvP is great too (and I'm not a PvP guy). No one class feels overpowered that I've played (all but Engineer to level 12)..everyone feels like they contribute. If you haven’t seen the Warplot videos, do yourself a favor and absolutely watch them!! I love the idea of pre-fabricating my base with my other Warparty members.. I get to outfit my base as we see fit for PvP.. awesome! Then the idea that you can capture raid bosses and bring them into your Warplot to attack or defend..haha, awesome!! The bonus is that your boss can fight the enemies boss. I don't care who you are, if you're old school.. and remember WoW bosses.. imagine bringing Nefarian in to fight C'Thun ... dude.. that would be amazingly epic to see.

The game "feels" right. In SWTOR, my character felt "light".. disconnected from the environments he walked on, no "oompf".. but in WS, it just felt right from the first time I logged in. The paths are fun to choose from (I've done 3 of the 4). As a Settler, I was getting requests in chat for my buff stations..to which I replied "I need help in this area collecting items for the buffs".. and people came over to clear out the mobs. You might as "why did you need help?" The reason, even the mobs can be tough. If you use the old WoW model.. there are regular mobs, weaker mobs you could AoE, then tougher mobs, then elite-type mobs.. all mixed in. Identifiable though.. and the harder mobs give better rewards.. but the content isn't mind-numbingly boring, it can be challenging. Being a Scientist was cool.. scanning and learning about the mobs and environments. Being a Soldier required some help in the later areas.. as you spawn waves of mobs that come to attack something you have to defend. I always had people coming to help with the Soldier stuff, never felt alone, and always rewarded. My coworker loves being an Explorer.. but he's the type of guy to check every nook and cranny of a map. His Exploring unlocks more areas for the rest of us to find.. good teamwork there.

If you're into raiding, that stuff looks amazing. I've watched a bunch of vids and talked to beta-testing raiders, and they like how it's tough. You get that sense of accomplishment again. I don't see an issue with getting 40 people for a raid.. in fact, there are a lot of guilds recruiting for raiding. We raided a decade ago in WoW, without the tools we have today (social media/resources) and without really knowing the requirements (time/effort).. I don't see that being an issue in Wildstar. Everyone who wants to raid in WS knows what to expect.

The community is great.. the devs are amazing.. best devs I've seen in any game- regardless of genre.

If anyone has any questions.. I'll do my best to answer. I know I sound like a fanboy, but I am reasonable..I know a great game when I play one.

edit-If you're not into raiding, there is still plenty of stuff to do for everyone. So while this game aims at the top end for raiding, they hit all the marks elsewhere as well.

Disagree with the negative posts wholeheartedly. I feel that Wildstar has captured every bit of magic I was looking for in a new MMO.

Wildstar is a very, very good game. It feels familiar to WoW because some of the WS devs are former WoW employees. The game looks familiar because it's a good look for the content, it will age well (unlike hyper realistic MMOs). The look fits the universe and type of game it is.

The classes are fun to play (I am not a melee/close combat guy, but I love the Stalker..and I very much enjoy the other classes I play as well. I am torn between a Spellslinger and an Esper right now. During this open beta, I plan on giving my Medic a good run as well. The telegraph system is a good change of pace and allows more dynamic movement..and it makes people stay on their toes. The dungeons are HARD. This is no walk in the park for free gear like the current WoW model is running with. You need to be good and on top of your game to complete content. However, if you're not a dungeon guy..there are Adventures, which are really "dungeon-lite". Give gear, rewards, bonuses.. see neat content and feel like you're part of something. Also, there are Shiphands.. where you can go into your own 1-man "instance" and complete content.. and yes, get good rewards from it.

PvP is great too (and I'm not a PvP guy). No one class feels overpowered that I've played (all but Engineer to level 12)..everyone feels like they contribute. If you haven’t seen the Warplot videos, do yourself a favor and absolutely watch them!! I love the idea of pre-fabricating my base with my other Warparty members.. I get to outfit my base as we see fit for PvP.. awesome! Then the idea that you can capture raid bosses and bring them into your Warplot to attack or defend..haha, awesome!! The bonus is that your boss can fight the enemies boss. I don't care who you are, if you're old school.. and remember WoW bosses.. imagine bringing Nefarian in to fight C'Thun ... dude.. that would be amazingly epic to see.

The game "feels" right. In SWTOR, my character felt "light".. disconnected from the environments he walked on, no "oompf".. but in WS, it just felt right from the first time I logged in. The paths are fun to choose from (I've done 3 of the 4). As a Settler, I was getting requests in chat for my buff stations..to which I replied "I need help in this area collecting items for the buffs".. and people came over to clear out the mobs. You might as "why did you need help?" The reason, even the mobs can be tough. If you use the old WoW model.. there are regular mobs, weaker mobs you could AoE, then tougher mobs, then elite-type mobs.. all mixed in. Identifiable though.. and the harder mobs give better rewards.. but the content isn't mind-numbingly boring, it can be challenging. Being a Scientist was cool.. scanning and learning about the mobs and environments. Being a Soldier required some help in the later areas.. as you spawn waves of mobs that come to attack something you have to defend. I always had people coming to help with the Soldier stuff, never felt alone, and always rewarded. My coworker loves being an Explorer.. but he's the type of guy to check every nook and cranny of a map. His Exploring unlocks more areas for the rest of us to find.. good teamwork there.

If you're into raiding, that stuff looks amazing. I've watched a bunch of vids and talked to beta-testing raiders, and they like how it's tough. You get that sense of accomplishment again. I don't see an issue with getting 40 people for a raid.. in fact, there are a lot of guilds recruiting for raiding. We raided a decade ago in WoW, without the tools we have today (social media/resources) and without really knowing the requirements (time/effort).. I don't see that being an issue in Wildstar. Everyone who wants to raid in WS knows what to expect.

The community is great.. the devs are amazing.. best devs I've seen in any game- regardless of genre.

If anyone has any questions.. I'll do my best to answer. I know I sound like a fanboy, but I am reasonable..I know a great game when I play one.

edit-If you're not into raiding, there is still plenty of stuff to do for everyone. So while this game aims at the top end for raiding, they hit all the marks elsewhere as well.

Darks wrote on May 8, 2014, 11:01:Trust me, there’s really nothing to get excited about in this beta. I tried it and I just could not get into it. It felt too much like WOW and at the same time like I was playing some toon land kiddie game.

BitWraith wrote on May 8, 2014, 10:35:I've been burned by so, so many MMOs in my life, I just can't work up any excitement for yet another one. I may check this out, but I doubt I will purchase it.

Trust me, there’s really nothing to get excited about in this beta. I tried it and I just could not get into it. It felt too much like WOW and at the same time like I was playing some toon land kiddie game.

BitWraith wrote on May 8, 2014, 10:35:I've been burned by so, so many MMOs in my life, I just can't work up any excitement for yet another one. I may check this out, but I doubt I will purchase it.

Trust me, there’s really nothing to get excited about in this beta. I tried it and I just could not get into it. It felt too much like WOW and at the same time like I was playing some toon land kiddie game.